The Mackenzie Poltergeist
In an old Edinburgh churchyard, people on night tours say they've been pushed, scratched and left with bruises they can't explain.
What was reported
Greyfriars Kirkyard holds the tomb of Sir George Mackenzie, a 17th-century lawyer known as 'Bluidy Mackenzie' for his harsh persecution of the Covenanters, Presbyterians who were imprisoned in an enclosure nearby.
In 1999, a man looking for shelter broke into the mausoleum and fell through its floor into a crypt. Afterwards, visitors began to report being attacked by something unseen near the tomb and the old prison: shoved, scratched or pinched, feeling cold, or fainting. It's now one of Edinburgh's most famous ghost tour stops.
Explanations offered
Sceptics point to night-time atmosphere, a well-known story told by guides, and the power of suggestion in a group. The council has kept the Covenanters' Prison locked except for tours.
- When
- Reported since 1999
- Where
- Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh, Scotland
- Witnesses
- Visitors on night tours
- Status
- Unexplained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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